Catalogue of the 2004 Architectural Awards

Available
Order: info@heliarch.gr
ISBN: 960-85742-9-3
Pages: 96
Dimensions: 24×30 cm

(from the catalogue)
FOREWORD

The 2005 Architecture Awards have a dual purpose this year: on the one hand, they continue the most important initiative of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture to reward architects whose work over the past five years has stood out in the Greek architectural scene; and on the other hand, they offer the opportunity for the H.I.A. to mark the tenth anniversary of its founding.

The Architecture Awards have now become an established institution, a fact demonstrated not only by the large number of submissions but also by their indisputable quality. For the first time, the jury included representatives of the three previously awarded architects specifically, Professors A. Kotsiopoulos, G. Makris, and T. Papaioannou together with A. Tombazis and Professor K. Moraitis. The committee faced a difficult task in selecting the fifteen buildings for the second phase across the three categories outlined in the call for entries, as detailed in the proceedings included in this publication. Two more jurors were later added: architect Wilfried Dechau, former director of the architectural journal db, and the President of the H.I.A. As in the previous edition, they visited all the selected buildings and spoke with their creators. This process gave rise to a particularly engaging week-long discussion about Greek architecture, a small part of which is recorded here. The presence of an international figure enriched the dialogue, providing a broader context for comparing the projects and positioning them within the wider European architectural landscape.

It was clearly established that Greek architects, particularly the younger generation, are engaging in a discourse that aligns with international trends, while at the same time striving to incorporate elements from tradition and the principles of Modernism, which after a period of decline has reemerged in our time.

The jury also observed the crucial role played in architectural creation by the engaged user and the dedicated and skilled craftsmen. These contributors complete the mosaic of architectural wholeness, and it is only when they actively support the architect’s work that the result becomes truly significant and commendable.

Any form of critique, once made public, inherently contains the element of disagreement in other words, it too is subject to evaluation by the broader public. However, this is precisely the foundation for any meaningful discussion. I hope that this publication offers such an opportunity and, as with the previous awards, will spark a new wave of reflection that will contribute to the development of architecture in our country. If that happens, then the efforts of the jury and the staff of the Institute, as well as the work of all those who submitted their proposals for evaluation, will have been truly vindicated.

President of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture
Nikos Kalogeras, Professor Emeritus NTUA